sunshine
by finish line
Summary: Sasuke/Sakura. AU. The hardest part in loving is when you can only view the person you love from a distance and not being able to hold his hand, embrace him tight, and say how much you love him. Because to him, you're just a friend.
1. Chapter 1

**authored by **finish line  
><strong>based from a real life story<strong>

**Sonnenschein**

**.**

_**sunshine**_

**.**

Part I - Pepsi

Konoha Academy was one of the best educational institutions ever built in Japan. Its kindergarten was very well known because of its English-proficient pupils. The elementary division was renowned for its highly admired scholastic curriculum.

The middle school division had topped among other middle school institutions, and, most of all, Konoha Academy's high school division got the best students, athletic boys and girls, and talented kids.

The school was practically prestigious - it was the stereotype kind of private school - and it contained a surmountable amount of snobbish kids. Ironically, beyond the snobbish and toffee-nosed facades lay golden hearts for the needy. It had been the Academy's annual tradition to hold an outreach programme for the unfortunate.

Perhaps that was why Haruno Sakura found her self so beaten after a daylong activity. Being the Student Council vice-president placed a heavy toll on her, especially since the council's resident president, Nara Shikamaru, would not even lay a finger on the event.

Sakura, sixteen years of age, was in her second year in high school. She sported short, pink hair and mossy green eyes that would give anyone the impression of a real sakura flower. Her height was abominable for her, as she was considering how her circle of friends had outgrown her. Teachers liked her for her undying wit and remarkable brain.

Sighing, Sakura sprawled herself on one seat at the back of the auditorium, where the handing-out of goods was done.

"Ahhh..." she groaned, fanning herself. Circles and circles of sweat formed on her forehead. "Why is it still hot here in the auditorium?"

"Apparently, because I'm here," said a deep male voice from behind her.

"What the -" Sakura turned around on her seat and looked over her shoulder. She raised an eyebrow.

There stood Uchiha Sasuke, one of Konoha Academy's Student Council Marshals.

The school administration had added another set of officers that would look after every event and every programme the school would hold. The Marshals were consisted of fifteen chosen high school students, which included the infamous Uchiha.

Uchiha Sasuke was the typical tall, dark, and handsome kind of boy. He was part of the wealthy Uchiha clan, which part-owned Konoha Academy, and was almost as smart as Sakura herself, if only he would not slack off. His spiky black hair was often the subject of teasing - his friends often joked about it as _chicken butt_ - and his serious, ebony-coloured eyes were the points of girls' interests.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun," called Sakura, sticking her tongue out. "You've got one hell of a big ego. Seriously. You're not as beautiful as you think you are, really."

Sasuke shrugged and took the empty seat beside her.

"I'm just saying," he mumbled.

Sakura merely continued to stare at him and watched as he scanned the whole room. Families which received goods that were handed out and passed by the two bowed at them and voiced out their thanks. A small smile escaped Sakura's lips whenever the boy would nod his head in acknowledgment.

The pink-haired Haruno almost jumped in her seat when Sasuke's eyes snapped at her direction.

"You're staring," Sasuke pointed out. Sakura did not miss how an arrogant smirk made its way on his lips.

"I am not!"

"OK, you are not, but you did," said Sasuke, shrugging. "Stop denying, Sakura."

Sakura pouted. "I was just observing..."

"Oh?" Sasuke, then, turned his whole body on her, still sitting.

Sakura's face slightly flushed as his gaze lingered on her face. The moment went on until she placed her right index finger on the tip of his nose.

"Ah, you're staring, see?" she told the boy.

Sasuke could only blink. Sakura watched as he raised his arm. She thought he was about to slap her or anything related to violence (because he would often smack her upside the head), but when he turned his hand and made the back of his hand face her, she instantly knew she was mistaken.

Carefully, the black-haired boy wiped Sakura's perspiring forehead with the back of his hand. Sometimes, he could really make her heart beat so quickly.

"You're really tired," he muttered, blinking at her a few moments later. "I think Kakashi still wanted to talk to you."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Hah, thanks for reminding," she said.

Sasuke did not miss the fact that sarcasm laced her voice.

"You see, I still have to pass some files to Kakashi-sensei, then go to Tsunade-shishou to show her the list of medical kits used in this event, then go to the Student Council office to count the funds audited to me, then to Namikaze-kouchou... gah. Thanks. Really."

"You could have said no to them," said Sasuke, as if that was the most obvious thing in the world. "You could have forced Nara into it."

"As if."

Shikamaru was a different person. He was slothful to the point that he would ignore his duties, not only as a student, but as the Student Council president as well. Despite that, he was smart - _way_ smarter than Sakura. Perhaps that was why Sakura could not force him into doing something he clearly did not want. He was too smart for his own good. And witty, too.

"You use force on me," Sasuke accused. "Don't deny."

"Shika's still different, you know." The pink-haired girl sighed. "Anyway, don't you feel a little hot?"

"Here?" asked Sasuke, standing up and placing his hands into his pants' pockets. "In the auditorium? I don't. But perhaps you're feeling hot because _I_'m here."

Sakura scoffed at the boy's arrogant smirk that followed his last word before he left.

"In your face," she whispered to herself, a small smile growing on her face.

**.**

**.**

**.**

A cold, wet thing being pressed on her right cheek woke Sakura up from her nap. She rapidly blinked to adjust her sight before looking around.

Sakura did not realise she had fallen into a light nap that afternoon. There were still families going up the front to receive the goods offered by the students and there were still many more in line. Blinking, she looked up the source of the cold thing.

"Sasu -" she started, but was instantly cut off when Sasuke threw something on her direction. She looked down on her lap.

It was a cold can of Pepsi.

Sakura grinned. Before she could even thank Sasuke, the boy had marched off, hands still on his pocket.

"Thank you."

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I'm home!" Sakura called out, entering the Haruno residence.

From the farthest side of the house, she heard a loud, "Welcome home, dear!"

Before Sakura could reach the bottom of the stairs that would lead to a hallway of rooms, her mother, in all her red-haired glory, appeared behind her.

"Oh, and Sakura?"

Sakura cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes, okaasan?" called Sakura as she spun on her heels. She faced her mother. "What is it?"

The older woman smiled. "A certain Uchiha Sasuke called in our home phone a few minutes before you arrived."

Sakura's heartbeat accelerated upon the information. It was impossible that Uchiha Sasuke would ever call her, considering that their real close encounters were not as frequent. They were simply like strangers when in school, even though they were classmates. Only at some certain situations would they be really close.

So the idea of having Sasuke calling her was beyond normal.

"W-What did he say?" asked the pink-haired girl.

"He said to tell you thanks for the day," replied Mrs. Haruno, turning on her heels to return to the kitchen. She stopped on her tracks and looked back at her child. "Is he someone special?"

Sasuke was not particularly special for Sakura. He was not just a simple classmate, either. The most impossible of all was deeming Sasuke as a stranger.

Sakura answered, "Sasuke-kun is just a friend."

The pink-haired girl bit back a smile as she entered her bedroom. She set her bag on top of her bed and immediately opened her drawer to retrieve her mobile phone.

Light illuminated through the almost dark room as she switched her dead phone on and scanned through the contacts list immediately after. When she saw that there was no record of Sasuke there (just as she had expected), she messaged the boy's older brother.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Itachi-nii<strong>  
><strong>What is Sasuke-kun's mobile phone number?<strong>

Sakura placed the phone atop her desk and changed her clothes. When her phone's light blinked, she scrambled towards the desk and checked the message.

Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother by five years, was a graduate of Konoha Academy. He was then studying forensic science in college. He and Sasuke almost looked identical, with the hair and attitude as the only differences. Sakura was closer to him.

He had sent her the number of Sasuke. Right after, she received another message.

**From: Itachi-nii  
>To: Sakura<br>For what? You never seemed interested in my brother until now.**

Sakura's finger instantly typed in her message.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Itachi-nii<br>Just wanted to thank him. :)**

Having smiled to herself, Sakura saved Sasuke's number into her contacts and made a new message for him. She excitedly sent him the message.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Ah, you're not only a bastard, Bastard, you're also an idiot! Love, Sakura**

A few moments later, there came a new message.

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>The hell? Is that 'love' I smell, Idiot?**

Sakura giggled to herself. At times when she and Sasuke had a personal contact, the latter would often refer to the former as '_Idiot_', and the former to the latter as '_Bastard_'.

Despite that, Sasuke was an idiot. Why would he be the one to thank her for the day, when she should be the one to do so? He had made her smile, had wiped her sweat with his hand, and had bought her a cold can of Pepsi. She should be the one to thank him, not her.

She had instantly thought to simply send Sasuke a text message through phone and not do the thanking over at Facebook, as what other teenagers of her age would have probably done. Sakura had thought other people might think wrongly of it, apart from the fact that a more private and personal gratitude would be much more appreciated.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Thank you, Bastard. For the wiping of sweat off my forehead, for the Pepsi, and practically for the day. Thanks. :)**

It took another set of minutes before a reply arrived.

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>You're welcome, Idiot.**

After that, the texting chronicle had begun.

**.**

**to be continued**

**.**

**authored by **finish line


	2. Chapter 2

**authored by **finish line  
><strong>motivated by<strong> the rays of the sun

**S - o - n - n - e - n - s - c - h - e - i - n**

**.**

_**s  
>u<br>n  
>s<br>h  
>i<br>n  
>e<strong>_

**.**

Part II - Smile

A tiny snowflake dropped on Sakura's open palm. Upon instinct, she looked up at the dark sky, tiny whites dancing themselves to the ground. It was the twenty-forth of December, and she had a lot of fun by the past two weeks.

The pink-haired girl was in the veranda adjacent to her room, mulling things over.

She had had no idea that a simple "Thank you" message to Sasuke would turn out into a full-blown texting chronicle. Smiling to herself, she waltz her way towards her room and headed straight to her study desk, where her expensive BlackBerry sat on.

Without the girl knowing, the grin on her face widened.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Morning! :) It's fun to have a two-week vacation, ne? Rest days, yay!**

After sending the message, she giggled to her self.

"Gah, I'm like an idiot who finally fell in love," she muttered to herself. She rubbed her arms for warmth and sighed. "It's not like I'm liking him in the romantic way, anyway."

After a few moments, her phone blinked.

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Hn. Morning, Idiot. Have you eaten breakfast yet?**

Sakura smiled. It had always been like that - their conversation over the phone, that was. They had not yet seen each other again since that day due to the school's two-week Christmas vacation and, apparently, her busy schedule.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Of course I have! :) Sunny-side up complete with bacon and toasts. Have you?**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>No, I haven't. I'm busy. Will you feed me?**

"Tsk tsk, Sasuke-kun," Sakura harrumphed. "He hadn't fed himself like always."

She prepared her thumb and inputted in the characters needed for her next message.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Eat, then. D: It saddens me that you don't eat. You might catch illness or something.  
>That's unhealthy, too. Eat. For me. Or not for me. Please? :)<strong>

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>...**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Helllloooo? Give me a sane reply, would you?**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>OK.**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>:DD That's the way, Bastard! Got to go, Auntie's calling.**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>For you.**

Sakura thought her heart would stop beating for a moment. It did not. However, she was certain that it _did_ skip a beat.

She opened her mouth and whispered to herself, "He'll do it? For _me_?"

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Wait.**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Hn?**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>You'll do it? For me?**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>I will.**

Sakura did not reply. She had no idea what to say.

It was not everyday that you would hear someone say he would do something just for _you_. It was not everyday you get to read through Sasuke's words that assured you something. It was not very Sasuke-esque. Never.

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>By the way, Idiot?**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Yeah?**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>I've got a question, although I sort of don't want  
>to ask you.<strong>

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Why not? Come on.**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Because you might get angry. You might stay away from me.  
>You might avoid me. You might not befriend me. You might not talk to me.<br>It's not like we have been any closer, but still.**

**I don't want to ask.**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Aaaah. Come on, tell me. I insist.**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Are you sure? It's... It's not actually a question... It's a statement.  
>But if I tell you...<strong>

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>If you tell me?**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>My fan girls might kill you or something. **

Sakura blinked. His fan girls might kill her?

It was not a secret that Uchiha Sasuke was one of the most sought-after boys in school. His unruly, spiked up black hair was one of his greatest features, a big addition to his tantalising onyx eyes. He had a fan club established in school by half the population of the girls.

Coincidentally, Sakura abhorred the group. She was not really a fan, and the members of the club tended to get to her nerves.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Oh, really? Just let them try, let's see what they've got.  
>Come on. Seriously, tell me.<strong>

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>It's... something I have really kept secret for a long while now.  
>I don't know how you'd react. I'm afraid you'd leave, but still, here<br>goes.**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<strong>

**You see...**

**I...  
><strong>

**From: Sakura**

**To: Sasuke-kun  
>Baassttaaard. Come on, tell me already!<strong>

In reality, Sakura did not want to know what he had to say. Or confess. It simply had her heart jumping in confusion and anticipation...

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<strong>

**I... Damn, it's so difficult to say.**

**I am Batman.**

Sakura, then, was in a serious case of oxygen deprivation, sincerely caused by laughing her head off.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>You made me laugh. :D**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>That's good. To make you smile or laugh completes my day.**

Her heart could not fall any deeper.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Staring outside from the window, Sakura could see the grounds of the Haruno garden covered with mats of snow, fog grouping themselves in her every breath. Days passed her by and Christmas did as well.

On that day, she was happy. She was more than happy. And she was happiest because _he_, who anyone couldn't get to greet him or her, greeted _her_. How happy.

Grabbing her purple purse from the tabletop, she walked off her room down to the kitchen. There, she hugged her aunt from behind - who was then cooking breakfast by the counter - and kissed her cheeks.

"Good morning, Auntie!" she greeted, pulling away.

The taller woman turned around with an eyebrow raised. Smiling, she said, "Good morning, too. Why are you so... happy?"

Sakura laughed.

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head. "It's just... I don't know... I'm just happy. Are my expressions really that otherworldly?"

"More likely," Ms. Haruno replied. She turned back to her business and continued, "Has a boy got anything to do with your unexpected ultra-super-mega happiness?"

Sakura let out a cheeky grin, before placing her palm on top of the dining table. "Aunt Misaki, you're implying something. I just know it."

"Nah, I just remembered a certain boy from a week ago," responded the woman. She glanced back at the pink-haired girl. "Why do you have your purse with you? Going somewhere?"

"Yup!" Sakura's smile widened. "I'm off to a date."

Ms. Haruno's mouth parted, but no voice came out. When her niece giggled, she raised an eyebrow.

"Nah, I'm just craving for a really cold walk."

**.**

**.**

**.**

The "cold walk" Sakura had said did not turn out as if it was. It was cold, certainly, but not really a walk.

The pink-haired girl ended up entering a warm cafe downtown, sitting herself right by the window. She was served with a cup of cafè au lait, sizzling hot under her bare and cold palms.

Of course, the temptation of texting did not leave her at all. She had her sleek mobile phone with her and when she had seen one text message, she could not resist it at all.

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Oi.**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>:D**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Hn. :)**

Sakura raised an eyebrow. Was that a smiley she had seen in his text message?

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Was that a smiley face that you have just sent? :D Haha,  
>I'm sure you're smiling right now because I'm texting you. :)<strong>

Sakura did not receive any reply a few moments after that, so she resorted to quickling adding:

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>That's just a joke, Bastard. :P**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>:)**

The girl laughed, earning herself a few confused glances from the other people inside the cafe. She silenced herself and inputted.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>I could feel like that smiley of yours is your own version of a smirk.**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>No, that's a smile. :]**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Oh? I made THE Uchiha Sasuke smile? :D How nice. **

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Idiot. You know what? I'm confused.**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>About what?**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>I'm confused on which in me is it that you made smiling. Is it my lips, or my heart?  
>You see, you had my heart jumping in joy because you texted me. Since I can't see<br>my heart, I have no idea whether it laughs or smiles.**

Sakura had no idea on what to say. She took a sip of her nearly forgotten cafè au lait and continued texting.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Hey, Bastard, are you trying to flirt? ;P**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Perhaps. I am trying to avoid doing so, though.**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Why? :P**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Because you might just end up getting hurt. :(**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>I don't understand. :P**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>I can't risk you falling for me.**

Sakura did not reply any sooner.

Falling for him was not in her "to do" list. Blinking and trying to lighten the atmosphere of their conversation, she replied.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Ahahaha! :DD Don't worry. Just remember that you'll  
>never get a perfect grade if it is I you're flirting with. You'll<br>fail. :) I will not fall.**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Oh? **

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Yeah.**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Hn.**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Stop Hn-ing me. xP**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>I'll never get perfect with you, huh?**

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Uh-huh. :)**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>Are you sure?**

Sakura was confused. He seemed... complacent about himself.

Uchiha Sasuke was known to be a not-really-sociable type of person in school. He hardly smiled at all, let alone talk. The only people who could get him to talk were his closest friends, and, surely enough, Sakura was not one of them.

The only moments they got to talk were during special occassions and events in school, despite being classmates and all. Konoha Academy is rich with activities that would have students really conversing with each other, socialising in the process.

It had Sakura wondering how come Sasuke and her seemed... close friends at all.

**From: Sakura  
>To: Sasuke-kun<br>Of course, I'm sure.**

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>If I will listen to my heart, I am very certain that  
>I'll get perfect in you. After all...<strong>

Sakura's heart thudded against her ribs, nearly bludgeoning her breastbone in the process.

**From: Sasuke-kun  
>To: Sakura<br>...you got a perfect score in my heart.  
>Can't I get a perfect score in your heart, too? :]<strong>

_If I will listen to my heart, I am very certain that I'll get perfect in you. After all, __**you**__ got a perfect score in __**my**__ heart. Can't I get a perfect score in your heart, too?_

She could almost hear his voice inside her head. She did not know what to say - she was, apparently, speechless.

For once, Sakura entertained the thought that Sasuke, indeed, was _always_ perfect in _everything_.

Even in catching her heart.

**Fortsetzung folgt**

**.**

**to be continued**

**.**

**authored by **finish line  
><strong>notes <strong>i'll be honest with you all. i didn't have any plans of updating this or finishing this for that matter. reason? the couple i based this off of . . . they broke up. it's been months since their separation, but the girl's hurting still lingers, and i don't think she'd wish to, you know. :( but i decided i would do this with a happy ending. or not. or . . . whatever. just wanted to share. :P


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